


Fallen Hero Drabbles, Stories, and Requests

by tnnap



Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén, Fallen Hero: Rebirth (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, One Shot, Villains
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-16 09:01:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17546672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tnnap/pseuds/tnnap
Summary: This is a collection of short snippets and stories written in the FH:R universe. Most of the drabbles are of Ortega, but I will be glad to accept any requests for other characters and scenarios. To request, visit tnnap on tumblr through the ask box! I will do mostly second perspective sidestep (usually not gender-specified).





	1. Jealous: Julia Ortega/Sidestep

**Author's Note:**

> Julia/Sidestep (request)

The first time you met Charge, you were jealous of how confident she was. She was a fighter, never afraid to run headfirst into a fight. You hated people, but somehow you admired that.

The second time you met Charge, you realized she was more stupid than she was confident. That made you feel a little bit better, and from then on, she was fondly called “idiot.”

The third time you met Charge, she told you her name. Julia Ortega. Somehow, that felt nice against your tongue.

You don’t tell her your made-up name, not until the tenth or eleventh meeting out, but when you do, she smiles so wide that you’re both cringing and blushing because of it.

If that wasn’t intimate enough, she’s the first human to ever see your face. She’s the first person to kiss it.

And slowly, just slowly, you feel just a little more than friendship with her. There’s an unspoken thing between you two that you think you might be falling in love.

No, you think you are in love. That’s what it was, wasn’t it? You fell for her madness, she fell for your brokenness. Those were two wrongs that should have made a right, but you disappeared before all that could ever happen. It’s no matter; it’s not like you could be what Ortega needed you to be.

Maybe that’s why you’re sitting across each other like strangers, not knowing what to say. Or at least you don’t know what to say. She still thinks you’re her best friend, same as you’ve always been.

“You all right there?” Her voice breaks you out of your stupor.

“Yeah, just… thinking about the bad old days.” The truth is, you can’t help but stare at her body, wondering what scars and stories must be under those fancy clothes.

But you do know. You’ve kissed her scars and know them by heart. You could name them, close your eyes and feel them. But that’s in another life, another body. Your puppet.

What you’re really wondering is why it’s all bleeding over. When you’re Sidestep, you shouldn’t be feeling the same things your puppet feels.

But it’s Ortega, and you suppose she has a knack of making things a little more complicated.

“Not the good old days?” She gives you a wink for added measure.

You sigh, hesitating before you say, “Well, not all of it was bad. There was you, wasn’t there?” That’s the closest thing to truth you’ll ever give her (you’re too tired to run anymore).

Your one-time sincerity must have caught her off guard, because she drops her facade and the two of you fall into comfortable silence. Despite that, you don’t feel quite comfortable under her softened gaze, so you cover your face by lifting your drink. Alcohol always makes everything better, at least on the surface.

“You really mean that?”

You scoff. “Have i said anything I didn’t mean?”

“True… but what exactly did you miss about me?” The question is half-teasing, half-serious. You don’t need to read her mind to tell that she wants an answer (needs an answer).

“I think you already know the answer to that, Julia.”

And because you can’t read her mind, you don’t anticipate what she does next.

Her lips are on yours before you know it.

Somehow, it feels different than kissing her with your puppet. With your puppet, her kisses are light and teasing. With you, there’s a sense of urgency to it; you feel it in the way she grips you a little too tightly and kisses you a little too harshly (like she’s afraid you’ll run away again). She tastes like danger, one you have no trouble indulging in when you have had one too many drinks.

Your brain is screaming danger, but your hands are pulling her closer, and with her fingers entangled in your hair, you can’t listen to your brain right now.

But all good things come to an end, so when there’s the unspoken invitation of going a little further, you realize you aren’t the puppet and you never will be. And for the first time, you’re jealous. You’re jealous that your puppet can touch her in ways you never can. You’re jealous that her scars are scars she will never show you.

You’re thinking too much that it takes you awhile to realize that her fingers have moved from your hair and are now trailing your collarbone.

As always, you break the kiss. She smiles, but her eyes are filled with want and questions of why. You want to tell her the truth, about you, about your puppet, but truth was an opportunity you passed up a long time ago.

Instead, you resort to anger (the only emotion you know these days). “I hope you’re happy with him.”

By him, you mean you in puppet form. But she doesn’t know that. She goes from shocked to guilty, and she knows that you know about “him.”

There are words that are forming at the tip of her tongue, but you decide to leave before she says something that will make you change your mind.

And as you walk away, you’re jealous that you’ll never get the chance to be yourself.


	2. You've Got a Friend: Ricardo Ortega/Sidestep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oretga/Sidestep (requested), platonic  
> Originally, this was Julia Ortega, but I changed it to Ricardo on here. You can check out the version with Julia on tumblr (but essentially, it's the same)

There’s a saying on the Farm you never paid any heed to. _Never get used to anybody, they said. They can leave you at any moment._ You never cared nor thought about it because it’s not like you could ever be human.

 

At least not until Ricardo Ortega comes along, already complicating things the moment you meet him. You’ve saved his life more than once, and you suppose you could call the two of you allies. Even though you haven’t taken off your mask yet, the way he talks to you makes you feel human. Sometimes. Other times, he can be such an ass.

 

Like now. It’s after a mission, and you’re trailing behind Charge in a back alley. Usually, you don’t stay this long, but he’s injured, and you can’t leave him behind because he’s the closest thing to an ally you have. Now that there’s no enemies shooting at you, you can see his injuries clearly. There’s blood trickling down his leg, and the only thing stopping it from bleeding even more is the sharp object jabbed in it. Hell, how could he be so reckless?

 

You hate to admit it, but you’re not mad at him for almost getting you killed, you’re mad at him for almost getting himself killed. There’s a chill running down your spine: are you getting too close? He’s a Ranger, he’s part of the government. He doesn’t know about what you are, and if he did, you’ll be back to where you started. You’re so deep in your thoughts you don’t notice Ortega resting his back on the wall, painfully clutching his leg. You also don’t notice that he’s been calling out to you.

 

“So, can I see you?”

“What? No.” No way. You’ve never shown your face to anybody, and you’re not about to.

“But look at my leg! I could die soon.” You pause a bit. Considering his stupidity, he probably will die, but not from this wound. Not any time soon.

“You’ll be fine.”

“But what if I die? This is my very last wish, Sidestep. Are you going to deny a man his dying wish?”

“Probably.” He lets out a dissatisfied grunt, and before you know it, he's back to throwing you a wide grin. Hell, how can that man smile after everything he’s been through?

“Fine, at least help me with my leg.” You groan in return before crouching down to examine it. Oh, it’s horrible alright, but you’ve had enough experience in first-aid to at least disinfect the area before he gets actual medical treatment. As you continue examining, you can feel his eyes boring into your mask, as if by doing so he could see you somehow. This is getting annoying, and you’re not afraid to tell him.

“Hell, why do you want to see my face so much?”

“Because you’re my friend, and friends should…know each other.” Friend? You look at his face, trying to catch for signs of deceiving but finding none. Did you accidentally become friends with him down the line? How did that happen? And what would it feel like to have friends? What do friends even do? You’re not his friend, surely? But then again, perhaps this is what you need to be just a little more human.

You’ve been thinking for too long. There’s a long stretch of silence, and Ortega looks more unsure. “Look, I’m sorry. I get if you need to be private. I shouldn’t have–”

He should have said that earlier, because now, it’s too late. Now, you’re already lifting the mask that covers your face, that protects who you truly are. Consequences can come later, but right now, you want to be human. And Ortega’s the closest anchor you have to humanity. If you can’t be friends with him, you’ll never be friends with anybody.

His eyes soften as they study your face, and despite his immobile leg, his fingers are twitching, like he wants to reach out and touch you. You don’t back away because you’re too scared to move. Already, you’re starting to blush under his gaze. This is oddly intimate, and you don’t know what to make of it.

You expect the usual Charge quip, but instead, he lightly touches your arm. “Thank you.”

You grunt and mumble a little before putting your mask back on. Right on time, too, because in the distance, you can hear the sound of sirens. His team, his other friends, they’re coming soon. Before you leave, he goes back to his usual mood. “So, is it too early to ask you if you want to meet the Rangers?”

“Ha, you’re funny.” You give him a light pat on the shoulder and disappear into the night.


	3. Enemies?: Lady Argent/Sidestep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Argent and Sidestep, to flirt or not to flirt?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was my first Lady Argent piece!

You don’t know anything about Argent. Sure, you know she’s Ortega’s friend, you know she’s made of weird metal… but she’s just as a mystery to you as you probably were to everyone else when you were on the side of the angels. She’s exactly everything you should hate because she’s exactly like you: stubborn, with too many secrets.

So why do you find her smirk so damn attractive?

Right now, you’re standing face to face in the break room, a few feet apart with an awkward silence to fill it. And worse still, you’re currently having an inner panic attack dealing with this new revelation, while she makes it worse by smirking even wider. She must be wondering why you’re always showing up uninvited. You don’t want her to think you have nothing better to do because the truth is, this is your job. Finding the Rangers’ weaknesses and exploiting them. 

Which is why having a budding attraction to your enemy is not going to bode well.

 

“Well, are you just gonna stare at me or are you gonna get that coffee?” She asks with that same intolerable smirk as the coffee finishes brewing.

You clench your teeth, although you’re relieved you didn’t have to start the conversation. Not like you want to talk to her anyways. Fighting her is so much easier. “I’m waiting for Ortega.” 

“I know. Same old, same old. I’m beginning to think you should come up with a new excuse.”

Since when did she care enough to start throwing jabs at you? Granted, you have to admit you started this in the first place, and surprisingly enough, (besides the mishap with the throat-choking and all) she didn’t punch you. But playful insults from her? Either this weird tension between you two was never one-sided, or this was new.

Anyways, you have nothing to say (you really are waiting for Ortega), so you break your gaze, grab your coffee, and focus on adding the sugar. This was safer. This way, you can busy your hands with something instead of awkwardly clenching them. And this way, you can keep your mind off of thoughts. Thoughts about fighting her. Hell, thoughts about her.

After a moment, you finish stirring and turn around, half-expecting her to be long gone.

You almost bump into her instead. This was getting annoying and a little too much out of your comfort. She was still standing there, as if she still expected you to say something. Suspecting you maybe? You’ve got to say something.

“You’re right. Why should I see Ortega when I could see you?” You don’t say this with a grin or a smile. Instead, there’s a deadpan look on your face. You want to see what her reaction would be.

There’s no physical punch to the gut. Argent looks slightly taken aback, and even in her silver form, you can see her eyes squinting, like she’s trying to figure you out.

“Are you… flirting with me?”

Ah, straightforward as always. That’s what you like about Argent. With Ortega, there’s too many innuendos, too much dancing-around-the-subject. The honest question feels refreshing somehow.

Now, It’s your turn to smirk (hoping she doesn’t try to wipe it off). “Depends. Do you want me to be flirting?”

She opens her mouth to speak, but before any words can come out, Ortega is already walking in, fancy clothes and usual swagger.

As Ortega grins at you to follow, you feel Argent’s eyes staring at your back.

 

You don’t know if you want her to ever answer. Hell, you really are an idiot.


	4. Fanfiction: Julia Ortega/Sidestep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ortega reading fanfiction? More likely than you think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by Malin's response to a question about Ortega reading fanfiction.

 

“If you read out even a slither of that, I’m going to smite you,” you say before Ortega can even open her mouth.

You don’t have to read her mind to know she’s dying to read it just to annoy you, but you can’t say it wasn’t your fault.

Weeks ago, you let it slip that there was a Rangers internet fanbase, and Ortega, the sleazy idiot, decided now was the time to indulge in it. It’s why you catch her in the break room, staring down at her brick of a phone and trying to hide an amused (aroused?) smile.

She looks up with a wide grin. “Oh, come on. It isn’t as bad as those Ranger movies. Remember in Sidestepper 2, that scene where…”

“I don’t remember, nor do I want to. So shut up.” You throw her a glare, but you’re willing to bet she’s used to it by now. You’re also used to the wink she throws at you, playful and…darn it. Is she sauntering towards you?

“Are you saying you don’t want to hear about ChargeStep’s ‘secret rendezvous?’ It’s pretty sexy, if I have to say so myself.” Ortega is looking at you with a deceptively innocent smile.

As tempted as you are, you roll your eyes, and gently push her face away. “No. Don’t you have work to do?”

“Oh, but there’s something, or someone, I’d rather work on.”

You groan, ignoring the blush that is currently rising to your cheeks. “Ugh, you're too sappy for your own good.”

She leans in again and softly teases, “Admit it. You wouldn’t be with me if you didn’t like the cheesiness somewhat.” She follows up with a quick peck to your lips.

Your face has already heated up. Even now, you can’t actually believe you’re “with” Ortega. Granted, it’s all based on lies (she doesn’t know), but you push those thoughts away as quickly as they came. No, doubting can come later, and you would be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy this. You two. Ortega.

So, you let her kiss you deeper, trying not to let your smile show. Of course, Ortega never gives up her chance to pull you closer. And despite all the prior lighthearted teasing, you can’t help but notice the familiar longing between her lips, like she’s too hesitant to let go and too eager for more.

You know you can’t let that happen. You’ve already lost hope, so self-control is the only thing you have left. Pulling back slightly, you smirk with a joke and deflect in mind. “Hope that kiss was better than whatever’s in your fanfiction.”

As always, she takes the bait, laughing and jabbing you lightly in the stomach. “Why should I read fanfiction when I’ve got the real thing right here?”

Oh, if only she knew.

 

 


	5. Christmas: Julia Ortega/Sidestep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas at Mama Ortega's (requested) featuring Anathema!

She has another boyfriend now, but she still invites you to her Christmas dinners. It’s why you’re in Mama Ortega’s house, awkwardly staring at the tree (anything but Julia). You wore a sweater, mostly because it does a good job of covering your secrets and partly because Mama Ortega knitted it herself. Ortega can’t help but tease you about it, and you play along only because you don’t want to feel awkward around her.

Awkward, you’re sure that’s all you feel. You feel awkward that she invited you instead of her new boy toy, that’s all. You shouldn’t be jealous. You made it clear that you didn’t want anything more than that first kiss you shared, so you shouldn’t have been surprised when the tabloids announced their new fling days later.

“Like the ornament? I made it myself.” You turn your head and see Ortega leaning her body against the doorway. How long has she been watching you?

"Really? I was wondering what this ugly thing was doing there.” You turn back to the tree, hoping that will make her go away.

"Hey, making ornaments is hard work!” She’s swaggering closer to you now. Damn it, where is Anathema when you need them? You know the answer to that. Anathema’s in the kitchen, probably gobbling up Mama Ortega’s cookies.

Well, no escaping this one. “Like you would know anything about that.”

"What’s that supposed to mean?” Ortega gives you a light punch on the shoulder. “I do plenty of hard work, just so you know.”

"Yeah, flirting is so hard.”

"Trust me, with you it is.” That’s probably not what she intended to say, because her hands back away from you the instant the words leave her mouth.

You look at her in disbelief. "So you’ve been flirting with me?”

She shrugs. “Is that so hard to believe?”

You don’t know why she would ask you that, you know the answer far too well. “Well, yes. Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

"Boyfriend? We went on one date.”

"But the tabloids…”

"You’re going to believe the tabloids over me?”

” I guess not.”

She seems to let it slide, but after a brief silence, Ortega turns her face towards you again, a teasing grin plastered on it. “Were you jealous?”

“What? No. I just thought I was misreading the signs.”

Ortega is back to playfully leaning on your shoulder. “I wouldn’t have asked you out if I didn’t like you. But you did say we would have to keep this… thing a secret.”

You’re smiling now. “Yes, I did. And I also said that–”

"No touchy stuff out in public, got it. I’m basically your dirty little secret.” She throws you a conspiratorial wink, and it takes all your willpower from punching it out of her.

 

But before you can retort, you both hear the soft jingling of bells above your heads. Looking up, you see Anathema lifting a weird pair of leaves.

"What the hell is that?” You ask.

Ortega and Anathema turn to you, eyebrows raised. You shrug, it’s not like you knew what Christmas was before meeting Ortega.

Anathema shakes the pair of leaves again. “It’s a mistletoe, you idiot. You’re supposed to kiss the girl under it.”

You contemplate for a while, but when you see the smirk on Ortega’s face, you lean in and punch her.

"Merry Christmas, Julia.”


	6. Thanksgiving: Julia Ortega/Sidestep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving at Mama Ortega's house. Happy times before Heartbreak shennanigans.

Thanksgiving. It’s an unknown holiday to you, as with most holidays. It never really bothered you though. A day was just a day, and someone like you doesn’t have the luxury of celebrating with others.

Then again, you suppose there’s a first time for everything. Right now, it’s being unceremoniously dragged by Ortega into her mother’s house.

You hate surprises, and even though Ortega told you this was going to be a Thanksgiving family party, the words “Thanksgiving” and “family” are still as strange to you as when Ortega first mentioned them.

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I mean, I barely know your family, minus your mother, of course, and I don’t think…”

She puts a finger to your lips and gives you a peck there for good measure.“Hush. It’s too late now. And I promise they’ll love you.”

Before you can argue again, she opens the door and pushes you in.

Immediately, you are greeted by the scent of meat pies and wine. The first human you see, thank goodness, is Mama Ortega, adorned in an oversized cooking apron and oven mitts.

“Julia, hija, so happy your home! And you’ve bought your partner!” The double meaning isn’t lost on you, but you give her a warm smile anyways.

“Tia, you’re looking lovely as always. And the house, too! It all looks wonderful.”

Well, mostly wonderful. As Mama Ortega leads you to her newly baked pies, you realize there’s too many people for your liking. A handshake here, a nod there, some good-hearted comments about Ortega “settling down”, weird smooches on the cheeks from Ortega’s distant aunts, and you’re starting to regret being Ortega’s “date.” Hell, you hate socializing.

But when the idea comes for you to somehow sneak away, you catch Ortega’s gaze, her smile soft and her eyebrows raised as if worried about your reaction to all this.  
You hate to say it, but that’s enough for you to relax your shoulders and beckon her to come closer.

Later, there’s singing, but this time, there’s no feeling of overwhelmingness, not when Ortega’s at your side, playful jabbing you with the fork she is using to dig the meat pie.

“Hey, we should dance.” Ortega points her fork to the center of the room.

“Right where everyone can see? You’re funny. Besides, I don’t dance.”  
She lets out a fond laugh. “Fine, you did enough today. Good job, partner.” Ortega leans her head against your shoulder, and although you roll your eyes, the weird intimacy between you two is so frequent you don’t flinch anymore.

Tomorrow, you’ll go back to your mask. But just for today, in Mama Ortega’s house, with Ortega leaning against you and watching people dance, you’ve got all you need.


End file.
